Reading With the Seasons: Thanksgiving Wrap-Up

I hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and were able to read at least one book during the month of November that helped you get ready for the day.

As I mentioned at the beginning of the month, I had a few books I wanted to get to--books that would make me hungry or historically-minded or cozy or grateful. I asked for your suggestions as well, and several of you came through, especially in the historical category, which was the hardest one for me to fill. Over the course of the month, I found a few more ideas as well.

In no particular order:

The Beggar King and the Secret of Happiness by Joel Ben Izzy was suggested by Stephanie. She said that it is one of her favorite books and makes her feel cozy and grateful. It's a new title for me. I can't wait to try it!

Witch Child by Celia Rees was suggested by Joanna. This one takes place in the 1650s and revolves around the witch trials. I knew there had to be some books set during this time period!

Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbrick - Partway through the month, I saw this book featured by Michele @ The Great Read. It is exactly what I was looking for! I even put it on hold at the library, but by the time it came in, the month was too far gone for me to want to start it. But next year...

Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl - I mentioned that I was reading this one to help get me in the mood to eat. It maybe worked a little too well. (Full review here)

Dinner: A Love Story by Jenny Rosenstrach - This is the other food book I talked about at the beginning of the month. I haven't finished it yet, but since I'm more than halfway, I can definitely recommend it and say that it is full of scrumptious-sounding recipes as well as being very entertaining and down-to-earth.

The Heretic's Daughter and  The Traitor's Wife (both by Kathleen Kent) were suggested by Lisa. They are historical novels set in the 1600s. The first one is about the Salem witch trials (I'm getting the feeling the witch trials are far more exciting to write about than the landing of the Mayflower), and the second one is a romance that takes in some of the political tension of the day. Really grateful for another historical suggestion!

Stories of the Pilgrims by Margaret B. Pumphrey - I found this one suggested by Debbie @ Our Cup of Tea. Because I had been on the lookout for books about Pilgrims, it immediately caught my interest. It is written for children, but I still think it could provide some good information about America's early days.

So there are a few titles to get you started when November rolls around again. Up next: CHRISTMAS! (I have a feeling it will be a little bit easier to think up books for this season! Get ready to share!)